


Subtleties

by TheIndifferentDroid



Series: Twitter Fics [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Erwin is a little drunk, M/M, Modern AU, Pining, bouncer Levi, eruri - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-30
Updated: 2019-04-30
Packaged: 2020-02-10 03:06:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18651619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheIndifferentDroid/pseuds/TheIndifferentDroid
Summary: Erwin drunkenly falls for the bouncer escorting him out of the bar.Levi might just like him back.





	Subtleties

Levi grabs the man by the arm—gently, he reminds himself—just enough to get his attention. “Alright, big guy,” Levi says, realizing just how right he is when the man tumbles off of the bar stool and rights himself. It doesn’t intimidate Levi, but he can’t ignore it. “We’re done here.”

 

The man looks Levi right in the eyes with surprising focus for being so drunk. His words, however, betray his inebriation. “Why’m I done?”

 

“We tried to cut you off, but your shitty friends—“ Levi glares at the people around them “—keep feeding you drinks, so you gotta go.”

 

“‘S’my birthday.”

 

“Don’t care. Come on,” Levi says, encouraging the man with a tug on his arm. “Out.”

 

“Wha’d’you say?”

 

“Out?” Levi repeats.

 

“No,” the man says. His eyes get big—still so incredibly focused on Levi’s, still so incredibly blue. He leans in and attempts to whisper. “I’m not out yet.”

 

“What?” Levi asks. He’s not sure why he’s trying to maintain the conversation instead of dragging the man out the bar.

 

But if he wasn’t intrigued before, he suddenly is. 

 

“Well, I think Mike knows,” the man ponders. Someone standing nearby perks up, presumably at the sound of his name. Levi shrugs at him and looks back at the blond in front of him. “Mike knows, but s’a secret.”

 

Levi tries not to react to the sudden confession, but he’s hard pressed to because damn if this man isn’t exactly his type. Tall and blonde and  _ big _ . And apparently the nicest drunk Levi has ever met. The man is very drunk but also very kind. Levi almost feels bad. Almost.

 

“Yeah. It’s definitely time to go, blondie.”

 

Levi gets behind the man and persuades him forward with a hand on his back and tries not to think of what he can feel through his sweater. Once they’re out the door, Levi sticks his hands in his pockets.

 

“Wanna go home,” the man drawls. 

 

“I know. That’s what we’re trying to do. Where’s your phone? Let me call a cab.”

 

Levi never calls cabs. For anyone. Typically, once he gets people out the bar, they’re someone else’s problem. But there is nothing typical about this situation.

 

He hands his phone to Levi, and Levi gets to work. He’s about to hand the phone back when Levi has a sudden urge to text himself from the man’s phone. He’s not sure why. It’s not as if the guy is going to remember who he is. It’s not as if he’s even sure the guy likes him.

 

They stand in comfortable enough silence in the chilly night air. The man can’t seem to keep still and it would bother Levi, except he gets to watch him move so he can’t complain. He has his hands in his pockets too, almost shyly. The stance curves his shoulders in and they are well defined and gorgeous and Levi is absolutely looking. The man is content to shuffle around on his feet and kick rocks and not look at Levi. 

 

“This is you,” Levi calls to him a few minutes later when a car pulls up. “Let’s go.”

 

The man awkwardly climbs into the backseat of the small sedan. Levi tries not to notice how his legs are bent awkwardly and are digging into the front seat. He looks expectedly up at Levi. 

 

“You gonna come with me?”

 

Many things cross Levi’s mind at once.

 

First, that had this been any other day, if he wasn’t working and had blondie not been absolutely wasted, he wouldn’t have hesitated. Second is that this guy—this gorgeous, very nice, very plastered guy—likes him. Likes Levi. At least through his drunk goggles.

 

“Fuck, why are you drunk?” Levi asks to no one but himself, but because this man is exactly Levi’s weakness, of course he has to answer. 

 

“Cause I drank a lot.”

 

Levi huffs a laugh and his heart swells uncharacteristically. He really, really needs to see this man again. “Yeah, you did, didn’t you?”

 

A moment later, the other man—Mike, Levi recalls—comes flying out the bar. 

 

“Shit, Erwin. Hold up, buddy,” he calls before he even reaches the curb. He looks at Levi. “Had to close out the tab. Sorry for the disturbance. I’ll get him home.”

 

“He’s fine,” Levi says, then immediately corrects, “It’s fine. He didn’t cause a scene or anything. He just needs to take it easy.”

 

“Thanks, man” Mike says, clapping Levi on the back before scooting Erwin over and sliding into the back seat next to him.

 

Erwin leans down across Mike to look out the door at Levi and makes the same intense eye contact he had in the bar. “Bye,” he calls. And his voice is so deep—so  _ sober _ —it sends a chill through Levi. 

 

Instead of saying anything, Levi slams the door and watches them drive away.

 

Levi doesn’t expect to see the man again. He doesn’t expect him to find the contact named “Bouncer” in his phone and know who it is. And he definitely doesn’t expect him to show up at the bar again.

 

Yet there he is. Just as tall and just as handsome but about one hundred percent more sober than he’d seen him the night before.

 

It’s still early and the bar is slow. It’s just barely gotten dark outside and the sky is still tinged pink when he approaches. There’s just enough light for Levi to really see him now, and he wishes he were inside in the dim light instead so he wouldn’t have to see it all.

 

“I left my jacket here last night,” Erwin says before he’s even stopped walking. “Brown leather jacket. Do you know if—“

 

“You’d have to check inside,” Levi cuts him off, crossing his arms across his chest and trying to look as disinterested as possible.

 

Levi shouldn’t be surprised Erwin doesn’t recognize him—the man had been exceedingly drunk—but he can’t help but be a little disappointed.

 

“Oh. Alright,” he says slowly, furrowing his brows. Then he gives Levi that same intense look he had the night before, except Levi can see straight into his blue eyes now and it feels not at all the same.

 

A moment later, Erwin’s face lights up, then turns a brilliant shade of pink. “Oh! You’re the…”

 

“That’s me.”

 

“My buddy told me what happened. I’m truly sorry. I’m... usually not like that.”

 

Levi doesn’t say anything. He can only think that had he not seen how kind Erwin was when he was so ridiculously shit-faced, he would have thought he was lying. But… Levi believes him. 

 

Erwin continues when Levi doesn’t respond. “I went a little overboard last night. I had a rough year, and I was letting off some steam.”

 

Levi’s arms are still crossed tightly across his chest and he’s biting the inside of his cheek and he’s being cold even for him. “If your jacket is here, they’ll have it in the back,” Levi says. “Petra should be at the bar.”

 

Erwin pauses for a moment before saying, “Thank you,” and stepping inside. 

 

Levi deflates immediately. “Jesus fuck,” he whispers. His entire body relaxes and he loosens his arms and pries his fingers apart after gripping his hands in tight fists for so long.

 

He has no idea what Erwin remembers of the previous night. If he remembers he outed himself to a complete stranger. If he remembers asking Levi to go home with him. If he remembers staring into his fucking soul. Although since he’s known sober Erwin, that seems to be a normal thing.

 

Erwin swings the door open a few minutes later, and Levi startles, immediately crossing his arms again. He looks down the street, feigning disinterest. He can see Erwin approaching him out the corner of his narrowed eyes.

 

He turns when Erwin gets so close he can’t ignore him. Erwin’s hands are stuffed into the pockets of his newly found jacket; it fits him like a glove. 

 

Levi tries his best not to give him a once-over. 

 

“Thanks,” Erwin says again. 

 

“Sure.”

 

“For last night, too,” Erwin adds.

 

“Just doing my job.”

 

“Were you, though?”

 

Levi glares at him. Maybe Erwin remembers more than Levi gave him credit for. 

 

A knowing smirk crosses Erwin’s lips. Levi tries not to look.

 

“I’m Erwin, by the way,” he says, pulling his hand out his jacket. “Don’t think we were properly introduced.”

 

Levi finally uncrosses his arms. “Levi,” he says and reaches out to take Erwin’s hand.

 

It’s about as big as Levi expected. But it’s cold. Hard. Inhuman.

 

Erwin doesn’t let go when Levi breaks eye contact to look down. 

 

His hand is somewhat skin-toned, enough so that Levi hadn’t noticed it at least. But the joints are exposed and fingers are blocky. Levi looks at his thumb resting on the top of Erwin’s hand and everything feels suddenly sharper now that he’s looking at the exposed metal in his grip. 

 

“Like I said,” Erwin mumbles. “Rough year.”

 

As if to make up for the warmth lacking from his right hand—warmth that Levi is suddenly craving—Erwin reaches out with his left and cradles Levi’s hand between both of his. “Nice to meet you, Levi.”

 

“Yeah,” Levi responds after a beat. “You too.”

 

Erwin lets go, gives Levi his space, and sticks his hands back in his jacket pockets. “Can I take you out for a drink?”

 

Levi rolls his eyes, raises his eyebrows, leans against the building. 

 

Erwin laughs lightly, blue eyes brightening. “Coffee, then?”

 

“Tea,” Levi corrects. “And sure.”

 

“Tea,” Erwin repeats, and Levi can tell he’s trying to contain his smile. “Can I get your number?”

 

_ Fuck. _

 

“You, uh… you already have it.”

 

Erwin looks instantly concerned. “I’m sorry. I—I don’t remember that at all.”

 

“Wouldn’t expect you to. I may have put it in your phone when I called for your cab.”

 

“Subtle,” Erwin says around a laugh.

 

Levi pushes himself off the wall and walks up to Erwin, cranes his neck to look him in the eyes. Erwin takes a shallow breath in when Levi grasps the lapels of his jacket.

 

The leather is soft and worn under Levi’s grip, like it was made for him to hold. He raises himself onto the tips of his toes and whispers into Erwin’s ear. “I think you’ll find I’m not.” 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on tumblr as [huxandthehound](https://huxandthehound.tumblr.com/) and twitter @[NonchalantDroid](https://twitter.com/nonchalantdroid). Come say hi.


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